A very useful automatic folder for folding a continuous web of perforation connected business forms is known as the Bunch folder manufactured by B. Bunch Company of Phoenix, Ariz. In the normal operation of the Bunch folder, the web enters a swing chute at the top, and comes out the bottom, the swing chute being oscillated to lay down the continuous web of business forms in a festooning, manner, the forms being folded at the perforation lines between individual forms. Beaters on opposite sides of the swing chute direct the web of paper into spirals that are rotatable about horizontal axes. Four spirals are provided, one on each corner of the web being folded, with the spirals diagonally across from each other turning in the same direction, and guiding the edge of the web as it is being folded. It is desirable to sever the continuous web along a perforation a predetermined number of forms that have been stacked (e.g. every 100, 200 or 500 forms, etc.) for packaging or use. This is accomplished by mounting a knife on a knife traveler rod, the knife starting at one end of the web adjacent one of the spirals, and when action thereof is initiated, engaging the edge of the web at a perforation and cutting along the perforation.
While the Bunch folder is a very useful folder, there have been significant difficulties associated with the severing action by the knife. According to the invention, it has been found that the knife has difficulty in severing the web at the perf because the knife has difficulty breaking the edge of the web. The knife moves transversely to the web edge which accounts for its difficulty in breaking the edge. It was sought to remedy this by knicking (that is initiating a cutting) a marginal edge of the web during the manufacture or printing process, but it was found impossible to hold the web in sufficiently close alignment to effect a knick (e.g. a 1/16 inch cut) in the edge.
According to the present invention, it is possible to remedy the problems associated with the web severing of the Bunch folder. This is simply and effectively accomplished according to the present invention by initiating a cut at a perforation coincident with or immediately after folding, by moving a cut initiating blade in an arc so that it need not engage the edge of the web, but comes between adjacent forms that are folded at a perforation and engages the longitudinal axis of the perforation at the edge of the web. This is most desirably accomplished, according to the invention, by mounting a short knife blade so that it ends horizontally from the pre-existing spiral that is adjacent the knife blade at its cut-initiating point.
According to one aspect of the present invention, apparatus for folding a web of continuous business forms interconnected by perforations, and occasionally separating the continuous web at a perforation between adjacent forms, is provided. The apparatus comprises: a swing chute mounted for oscillating movement about a generally horizontal pivot, for receipt of a web of continuous business forms therein; a plurality of beaters mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis to engage the web when it exits the swing chute; a plurality of spirals mounted for rotation about vertical axes and adjacent the beaters and swing chute, for receipt of the edges of the web after engagement by the swing chute and/or beaters; cutting means for selectively cutting the web along a perforation between adjacent forms to sever the adjacent forms from each other; and cut initiating means for initiating a cut at the edge of a perforation between adjacent forms to be severed from each other, so that said cutting means may easily completely sever the forms at the perforation. The cut initiating means preferably comprises a short horizontally extending blade and means--such as a collar--for mounting the blade to one of the spirals and rotatable therewith. The blade may be formed so that it has a horizontal cutting portion, a horizontal cantilevered portion at a different level than the cutting portion, and a stepped portion interconnecting the cutting and cantilevered portions.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided, per se, a web engaging structure for engaging the edge of a web and initiating a cut in the fold line of the web (preferably along a perforation). The structure comprises: a generally cylindrical body elongated in the dimension of a cylindrical axis, and having a top and a bottom at opposite ends of the body; a spiral having flights extending in a spiral around the body, with spacing between the flights sufficiently large for a web to be received therebetween; a short blade for initiating a cut in a web; and means for mounting the blade to the cylindrical body at the top thereof so that it extends above the cylindrical body, and generally perpendicular to the cylindrical axis. The means for mounting the blade to the cylindrical body comprises a collar attached to the uppermost portion of the cylindrical body. A brush also may be provided with the cylindrical body extending generally transverse to the cylindrical axis and adjacent the top of the cylindrical body, above the spiral.
The invention also contemplates a method of separating a web of continuous business forms in which individual forms are connected together by perforations. The method comprises the steps of: (a) effecting folding of the web in a festooning manner at the perforations therebetween to provide a stack of interconnected forms; (b) initiating a cut at the edge of a web perforation between adjacent forms at first predetermined intervals coincident with or immediately after the folding action; and (c) completing severing of the cut-initiated perforation between adjacent forms at second predetermined intervals coincident with, or immediately after, the folding action. While the first and second predetermined intervals may be the same, preferably a first interval has every other fold perforation, and a second interval is much greater than every other fold perforation (e.g. every 100, 200, or 500 forms, etc.). The cut that is effected in step (b) is between about 1/16 to 1/2 inch long.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide for the effective occasional severing of continuous business forms during folding thereof. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.